System for handling solid material



my 1926. v L5 5". B. ALLEN SYSTEM FOR HANDLING SOLID MATERIAL Filed Jan. 20, 1925 s sheets-$118M '1 INVENTOR Aug. 31, 1926 1,598,233

- F. B. ALLEN SYSTEM FOR HANDLING SOLID MATERIAL Fileil Jan. 2 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Aug. 31 T1926. 11,598,233

F. B. ALLEN SYSTEM FOR HANDLING SOLID MATERIAL Filed Jan. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 31, 1 926.

f [UNITE S TE PATENT, OFFICE."

rmx B. IALLEIN, or LOWER mnron 'roumsnrr, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, rnuns'zn. vam, assrsuon, BY MESINE nssreuunnrrs, T rm]: 1:. mmnan.

SYSTEM FOR HANDLING SOLID MATERIAL.

Application filed January 20, 1925? Serial m. 3,562.

This invention relates to a fluid system for handling material and is particularly concerned with an hydraulic system for handling ashes and the solid roducts of combustion from fuel burning rnaces.

One object'of the invention isto provide a simple, cheap, eflicient, fluid system for conducting solid material from a furnace hopper to a railway car or other vehicle by l which itis carried to aplace of disposal;

Another object-is to provide a hydraulic system for removing solid products of combustion from a furnace hopper and conducting the same into a tank for discharge into a i railway .car, in which wastage and leakage of liquid from the system is substantially avoided and the is utilized. r

Another object is to provide a new and improved system for hydraulically-removing solid material from a furnace to a hopper in which the potential energy of the liquid is utilized. a

Other objects will appear and be pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings attached hereto and forming a part of this specification: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a fluid system'embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of furnace, hopper and sluiceway apparatus constituting a part of the system of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 isasectional view of the apparatus.

shown iii-Fig.2, and taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, and 1 Figs." 4, '5. and 6 are fragmentary views similar to -Fig.- 1 but showing alternative pipe connections.

Fi s. 7 and 8 are views partly in section, showing details of the liquid connecting means for the storage tank.

In the drawings:

1 indicates, fragmentarily, a fuel burning -furnace, 2 designates a hopper disposed in position beneath the furnace to receive solid products of combustion discharged therefrom,-and 3 designates a sluiceway disposed to receive solid material dischar e'd from the hopper 2. The bottom wall of t e hopper is provided with one or more discharge openings 4 and beneath each opening a walla5 is disposedin solid material retainin position withrespect to the opening 4 and dropper 2, 'so that solid material collecting on this wall potential energy of the fluid extinguishing the same.

nected by ano duits 6 having outlet ports or nozzles 7 and disposed along the upper edge of these walls are,provided for the discharge of fluid under pressure, preferably water, through these outlets or nozzles to remove. material from the top surface of the walls 5 and discharge it into the suliceway in a thin fluid stream. Preferably fluid under pressure is discharged along these Walls periodically, for example whenever the hopper becomes substantially filled with solid material, and during the time of such discharge the solid material is carried. from these walls into the sluiceway 3 in a substantially continuous stream. 1

The sluiceway 3 although shown as being substantially horizontal may be inclined somewhat in which case fluid under less pressure may be used to handle the solid The sluiceway 3 preferably leads to a sump 8 into whichv it discharges the-solid material from the furnace and hopper. For certain types of furnaces, for example powdered fuel burning furnaces, it may be'prefenable to provide a liquid. seal 9 for the discharge-end of the sluiceway, or to cover the sump so as to prevent'passage of air through the sluiceway and thence through the hopper into the combustion chamber of the furnace, thereby interfering with the efficient operation of the flames .therein or perhaps Astorage tank 10 provided at an elevajtion above the sluiceway3 and sump 8 for receiving solid ,andliquid material elevated thereinto as by means of a lift pump 11 which has a conduit connection to the sump and to the storage tank. A standard pump of the suction inlet, pressure outlet type may be utilized for this urpose, the suction inlet side bein connected sump an the pressure outlet side being cont er conduit 12" to the storage tank. I

The bottom of the storage tank 10 is preferably located hi h enough above the ground or floor level so .t at meanssuch as a freightcar may pass thereunder to receive material discharged through the bottom opening 13 of the tank. The bottom opening or openings 13 are each provided with a movable by a conduit 12". to the closure in the form of a door l l having means including flanges 15 and a trough 16 for cbllecting liquid which passes through the discharge opening and conducting the same to a discharge conduit 17 which may lead back to the sump. I prefer to employ doors and parts associated therewith as here shown and as more fully described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 683,792, filed December 31st, 1923, patented July 28, 1925, No. 1,547,284: but do not limit myself to this particular type of door since other closures may be employed which are adapted to collect and discharge liquid passing through the hopper opening, and

thereby maintain the space underneath the hopper substantially dry except when solid material is being discharged from the tank.

In the upper part of the storage tank 10, I provide one or more liquid discharge outlets 18 and 19. To prevent the passage of substantial amounts of solid material from the tank along with the liquid passing through these discharge outlets, I provide a series of bafies 20 past which the liquid must flow from the inlet to the tank to the said outlets.-

The liquid discharge outlet 18 which is so disposed as to act as an overflow for the storage tank preferably leads back through a'conduit 21 to the sump 8 but obviously may be connectedto a conduit 22 which is connected to outlet 19 and, at some distance below the overflow outlet 19, with the fluid pressure nozzles 28 disposed near the bottom of the sluiceway 3. The joining of conduits. 21 and 22 is indicated at 24 in Fig. 4.

When the-inlet end of the conduit 22 is sufficiently high above the nozzles in the sluicewa to create the desiredfluid pressure at t e outlet end or nozzles 23 no means to increase the pressure need be employed.

In such case the conduit 22 may be illustrated as shown in Fig; 5 including the portion 25 which is a bypass around the pump 26. When, however, it is necessary to increase thefluid pressure in the conduit 22, means such as a suction inlet, pressure outlet pump 26 may be included in the conduit 22 with the fluid flowing from the tank into the suction side of the pump, to boost the pressure already existing therein to the de sired pressure, for example 50 to 100 pounds pressure per square inch at the nozzles 23. Anyot-her pump may be employed instead of pump 26 provided it is capable of boost- .in the pressure in the conduit 22 and of ut1lizing the potential energy of the liquid in the conduit 22. This conduit may also open into the sump as indicated by the connection 27 (Fig. '6

Various means for actuating the lift and sluiceway pumps 11 and 26 maybe employed but ll prefer to employ a motor 28 common to and connected to each of these the pressure of the aaeseaa pumps. By this arrangement the potential energy of the liquid in the storage tank is utilized. The energy necessary to create the desired pressure at the nozzles 28 is reduced by the amount of pressure in the conduit due to the head of li uid therein. Likewise, uid in the conduit 22 may assist in operating the sump pump 11 especially when the fluid is being discharged from the conduit 22 through the connection 27 into the sump.

It will be obvious that the capacity of the lift pump 11 should exceed that of the sluiceway pump 26 so as to maintain a sufficient head of liquid in the storage tank during the period in which liquid isbeing discharged into the sluiceway. This difference of capacity need not be erceedingly greatinasmuch as the liquid charging through the bottom opening of the tank is relatively small, for example 2& gallons per minute as compared with from about 500 to 1000 gallons per minute being discharged into the tank.

The capacity of the sump 8 should be somewhat greater than that of the storage tank 10 to insure the presence of a suflicient quantity of liquid material in the former to seal the end of conduit 12 leading to the sump pump and of the end 9 of the sluiceway 3 in the event that the sluiceway is liquid sealed. The sump is provided with an overflow outlet and conduit 29 to prevent the flooding of the system and as shown herein it is also provided with a fluid conduit 30 connected to an outside source of fluid (not shown) from which any deficiency of fluid in the system may be made up. The conduit may also have a float regulated valve as indicated diagrammatically at 81.

To those skilled in the art, it will be obvious from the foregoing description that I have provided a system for handling solid material, as well as the solid products of combustion from a fuel burning furnace, wherever it is desirable to remove solid material and conduct the same to a place of disposal, as by means including a railway car or similar vehicle. This system is especially adapted to be operated hydraulically without, however, permitting the escape of substantial amounts of liquid in undesirable places. The system may be constructed without great expense and operated cheaply, does not require the expenditure of excessive amounts of energy in its operation and may be employed intermittently and as desired.

Having thus disclosed my invention so that those skilled in the art may be enabled to practice the same, what I desire to secure by. Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed, it being, of course, understood that various changes and alterations mayv be made in the details as set forth hereinabove and shown in the drawings without, however, departing from the spirit of my ,invention. i

What I claim is:

1. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the said sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the said sump, the said tank having a discharge opening in its lower portion, a liquid collecting closure liquid from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure.

3. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the sump, a conduit connecting the sump and storage tank, a pump for elevating solid and liquid material into the conduit from the sump to the storage tank, and means for returning liquid' from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure including a sluiceway pump.

4:. A. system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, means for discharging liquid into the sluiceway to move solid material therein, a sump into which said sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the said sump, a pump -for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank, means for returning the fluid overflowing from the storage tank to the system and means for utilizing the potential energy of the fluid overflowing from the storage tank into the system.

5. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, astorage tank-elevated above the sump, a conduit connecting the sump and storage tank, a 'pump for elevating solid and liquid material through the conduit from the sump to the storage tank and means fon returning the liquid from the storage tank to the pump for elevating solid and liquid material through the conduit from the sump to the storage'tank and means for returning the liquid from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure, including a sluiceway pump, the first said pump and sluiceway pump having a common actuating means.

7. A system for handling solid'material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the sump, means for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank and means for delivering liquid from the storage tank into the sluiceway under pressure, said means including a sluiceway pump, disposed between the storage tank and the sluiceway through which pump said liquid from the storage tank passes.

8. A system for handling solid material comprising a sluiceway, a storage tank elevated above the sluiceway, means for transporting solid and liquid material from the sluiceway to the storage tank and means for returning the liquid from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure.

9. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above said sluiceway, means for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank, said storage tank being provided with a bottom discharge opening and an upper liquid outlet opening, means for collecting liquid passing through the bottom opening and returning it to the system, means within the tank for preventing escape of solid material through the said upper liquid outlet and means for returning to the system liquid passing from the tank through the said upper liquid outlet opening. 1

10..A system forhandling solid material which comprisesa sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above said sluiceway, means for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank, said storage tank being provided with a bottom discharge opening and with upper liquid outlet openings, one disposed i ,n a plane above that of the other, means within the tank for preventing the escape of solid material through said upper liquid outlet openings, means for returning to the sluiceway under pressure, liquid flowing from the lower of the upper outlet openings and means for returning to the sump liquid discharged from the higher of the up er liquid outlet openings and liquid disc arged from the said bottom opening.

11. A system for handling solid material which comprises a. sluiceway, a sump, into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above said sluiceway, means for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank, said storage tank being provided with a bottom discharge opening and with upper liquid out-- let openings, one disposed in a plane above that of the other, means within the tank for preventing the escape of solid material through said upper liquid outlet openings, means for returning to the sluiceway under pressure liquid flowing from the lower of the upper outlet openings and means for returning to the sump liquid discharged from the said bottom opening.

12. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into Which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above said sluiceway. means for elevating solid and liquid material from the sump to the storage tank, said storage tank being provided with a bottom discharge opening and With upper liquid outlet openings, one disposed in a plane above that of the other, means Within the tank for preventing the escape of solid material through said upper liquid outlet openings, means for returning to the sluiceway under pressure liquid flowing from the lower of theupper outlet openings and means for returning to the sump liquid discharged from the higher of the upper liquid outlet openings.

13. A- system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the sump, a conduitconnecting the sump and storage tank, a

pump for elevating solid and liquid material through the conduit from the sump to the storage tank, means for returning the liquid from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure, means for allowing water to overflow from the system and means for introducing make-up Water into the system.

14. A system for handling solid material which comprises a sluiceway, a sump into which the sluiceway discharges, a storage tank elevated above the sump, a conduit connecting the sump and storage tank, a pump for elevating solid and liquid material through the conduit from the sump to "the storage tank, means for returning the liquid from the storage tank to the sluiceway under pressure, means for allowing water to overflow from the sump and means neeaaaa for introducing make-up water into the sump.

15. A. system for handling the solid material remaining from the combustion of a fuel in a burning furnace, which comprises a hopper disposed in solid material receiving position with respect to a fuel burning furnace, a closed liquid sealed sluiceway disposed in solid material receiving position with respect to the said hopper, means for discharging liquid under pressure into the said sluiceway to receive and carry away solid material discharged into the sluiceway from the said hopper, a storage tank elevated above the said sluiceway and provided with a bottom discharge opening and a top outlet opening, a door on the tank to collect liquid passing through the bottom discharge opening and direct the same back into the system, means to elevate solid and liquid materials from the sluiceway to the storage tank, means for preventing the es cape of solid material through the said top outlet. opening, and means for returning to the system the liquid escaping through the said top outlet opening.

16. A system for handling the solid material remaining from the combustion of a fuel in a burning furnace, which comprises a hopper: disposed in solid material receiv ing position with respect to a fuel burning furnace, a closed liquid sealed sluiceway disposed in solid material receiving position with respect to the said hopper, meansfor discharging liquid under pressure into the said sluiceway to, receive and carry away solid material discharged into the sluiceway from the said hopper, a storage tank elevated above the said sluiceway and provided with a; bottom discharge opening and a top outlet opening, a door onthe tank to collect liquidpassing through the bottom discharge opening and direct the same back into the system, means to elevate solid and liquid material from the sluicewayto the storage tank, means for preventing the escape of solid material through the said top outletv opening. and means for returning to the system the liquid escaping through the said top outlet opening including means for utilizing the potential energy of the liquid in the storage tank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my Y signature this 19th day of January, 1925.

FRANK B.. ALLEN. 

